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One of the easiest Linux distributions to use, Linux Mint, has a major new release available with Linux Mint 21.3 'Virginia' now officially released.

This is probably one of their biggest releases in quite some time, based on Linux kernel 5.15 and Ubuntu 22.04 it will see security updates until 2027. Coming with Cinnamon 6.0 that brings with it lots of new features, including (finally) experimental Wayland support which is not quite ready for prime-time yet. But it's necessary, since every distribution is moving over to Wayland and focusing on it. Mint can't get left behind there.

Pictured - Cinnamon Desktop

Some other features included in Cinnamon 6.0 in Linux Mint 21.3:

  • A new "Spices" addon type, that can add actions into the Nemo file manager context menu.
  • 75% scaling is back.
  • Window opacity keybinding is back.
  • Stylus buttons can be disabled.
  • The monitor used for notifications is now configurable.
  • Menu apps can be edited with right click -> properties.
  • Gestures: new desktop zoom action.
  • Gestures: You can now specify when an action is triggered.
  • Sound applet: new shift-middle click action.
  • Grouped window list: new option to not show anything when hovering an app button.

Lots more elsewhere like full support for SecureBoot and compatibility with a wider variety of BIOS and EFI implementations, you can now connect to other devices in Warpinator using the IP on mobile or scanning a QR code, big improvements to their IPTV player and more.

Full notes on what's new here.

Be sure to check for known issues first too.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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45 comments
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tuubi Jan 13
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Quoting: EikeBut I have the impression that getting ones DE to work on Wayland is quite some work that little projects might not be able to do. Is this impressions wrong?

Most of the smaller niche DEs can share critical and complicated elements like compositors, but even that is going to require varying amounts of work. TWM, being an X.org window manager instead of a full-blown DE, might not bother. On the other hand there are similar enough alternatives for Wayland already. Same goes for fluxbox and its "relatives". But they're still actively maintained and will serve a purpose as long as X.org is available. And it'll be available for years to come.

Slightly bigger ones like Mate and Xfce have been in the process of adding Wayland support for a while now and they'll be just fine.


I don't really see this as being a problem any more than, let's say, when Linux transitioned from OSS to ALSA and some audio players and libraries never migrated over. That's perfectly normal. I've written software myself that wouldn't work on modern systems because dependencies have gone the way of the dodo, but that would only be a problem if that software still had some practical value to someone.
LoudTechie Jan 13
Quoting: tuubithat would only be a problem if that software still had some practical value to someone.
That quote works on the web, but on local hardware this is a lot less true.
COBOL has been deprecated longer than the Linux kernel exists, endures a full instruction set switch, a developers shortage and the millennium bug. There're currently around 800million of actively maintained lines of COBOL code.
I've encountered phones in the wild with no Android upgrade path beyond Android 7 and users who want to use modern applications.
I've had to save an ancient laptop from the bloat that is Windows 10 without breaking any compatibility.


Last edited by LoudTechie on 13 January 2024 at 4:41 pm UTC
tuubi Jan 13
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Quoting: LoudTechie
Quoting: tuubithat would only be a problem if that software still had some practical value to someone.
That quote works on the web, but on local hardware this is a lot less true.
COBOL has been deprecated longer than the Linux kernel exists, endures a full instruction set switch, a developers shortage and the millennium bug. There're currently around 800million of actively maintained lines of COBOL code.
I've encountered phones in the wild with no Android upgrade path beyond Android 7 and users who want to use modern applications.
I've had to save an ancient laptop from the bloat that is Windows 10 without breaking any compatibility.

You misunderstood. What I meant is that it's more or less fine for software to stop working on modern systems if it's no longer useful.

Clearly businesses still have need for their COBOL software or they wouldn't pay for its maintenance. And people want to keep using their hardware longer than manufacturers are willing to support them. That's all beside my point.
LoudTechie Jan 13
Quoting: tuubi
Quoting: LoudTechie
Quoting: tuubithat would only be a problem if that software still had some practical value to someone.
That quote works on the web, but on local hardware this is a lot less true.
COBOL has been deprecated longer than the Linux kernel exists, endures a full instruction set switch, a developers shortage and the millennium bug. There're currently around 800million of actively maintained lines of COBOL code.
I've encountered phones in the wild with no Android upgrade path beyond Android 7 and users who want to use modern applications.
I've had to save an ancient laptop from the bloat that is Windows 10 without breaking any compatibility.

You misunderstood. What I meant is that it's more or less fine for software to stop working on modern systems if it's no longer useful.

Clearly businesses still have need for their COBOL software or they wouldn't pay for its maintenance. And people want to keep using their hardware longer than manufacturers are willing to support them. That's all beside my point.

Ah, thanks for the clarification.
14 Jan 13
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Quoting: BlackBloodRumI can't share my wallpaper for uh, reasons. But anyway, I thought everyone changed their wallpaper anyway?

Does anyone actually use the OS's default wallpaper, without changing it?
I keep zero icons on my desktop, and I like wallpapers. I subscribe to gamewallpapers.com and have over 800 images that Plasma rotates on a daily basis.
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Quoting: 14
Quoting: BlackBloodRumI can't share my wallpaper for uh, reasons. But anyway, I thought everyone changed their wallpaper anyway?

Does anyone actually use the OS's default wallpaper, without changing it?
I keep zero icons on my desktop, and I like wallpapers. I subscribe to gamewallpapers.com and have over 800 images that Plasma rotates on a daily basis.
There's always someone who must take it to an extreme.
Quoting: chickenb00
Quoting: TruckStopSantaClausX11 has been the main thing stopping me form going back to Mint on my new Framework 13, I'll keep an eye on the Framework forums and see how thing are going. But I'm hyped!
Speaking of Framework laptops, what is the most stable and supported distro for those? I'm only really familiar with Pop_OS, but I'd be fine with basic Ubuntu.
Also, isn't Wayland still fairly experimental when it comes to games support?

Wayland isn't that experimental when it comes with games. The steamdeck uses it.
I absolutely love Linux Mint. I've been an avid user of OpenSuse Tumbleweed lately but This might be a good reason for me to finally drop back to Mint for my Gaming PC. I love how Mint was always so easy to use and for the most part, I could expect it to just work. Had trouble with LM 19 for a bit but that was about it.
Eike Jan 14
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Quoting: LoudTechieLuckily X is not online so it will probably keep running on some offline computers.

But, X is supposed to be "network transparent" and should have loads of network code?!?
Eike Jan 14
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Quoting: tuubiI don't really see this as being a problem any more than, let's say, when Linux transitioned from OSS to ALSA and some audio players and libraries never migrated over. That's perfectly normal. I've written software myself that wouldn't work on modern systems because dependencies have gone the way of the dodo, but that would only be a problem if that software still had some practical value to someone.

Personally, I'm ok with it, but I'm surprised I didn't hear more protest from users of the smaller environments. But then, the only Linux website I visit is this one, so I might not have heard lots of noise. :)
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